Yet another international trip for Aaron Schock?

Interesting details from Lynn Sweet in the Chicago Sun-Times about personal financial disclosure forms from lawmakers that point to a lengthy “cultural exchange” trip taken by U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock and three other members of Congress last year.

Sweet reports that the weeklong trip also included some non-official time with a two-day visit to the beach.

The trip, paid for by Brazil’s government and focusing on agriculture and agribusiness, included Schock, two other Republicans — Reps. Jason Smith of Missouri and Patrick Meehan of Pennsylvania — and an Illinois Democrat with Peoria ties, Rep. Robin Kelly.
Only Schock and Smith ended up going on the beach excursion, the report notes.

A variety of staffers were also along, Sweet reports, including Schock chief of staff Mark Roman, his district office scheduler Shea Ledford and photographer Jonathon Link, who didn’t come onto the Schock office payroll until September.

Why a district office scheduler and a photographer were necessary for that trip are, of course, valid questions.

Ditto the choice to invite Kelly whose district does — the piece notes — have 1,800 farmers, but isn’t exactly known as an agricultural part of the state. She also isn’t on an agriculture-related committee, and she’ll be the first to tell you in her New York accent that she’s a city gal. She does, however, have at least a passing familiarity with Schock, going back to her time on the Bradley University board of trustees, which began the first time right around when Schock graduated BU.

Smith is a fourth-generation family farmer. Meehan is a lawyer and former prosecutor.